Electrical connecter



Jul 5, 1938. M O, FISCHEL 2,123,103

ELECTRICAL GONNECTER Filed May 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwucmhyn July 5, 1938. M. o. FISCHEL ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed May 1'7, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j'TZ 3 W1: c/wbo'n fiffwz 0 [296261 7/ $5 MW a Patented July 5, 1938 2,123,103

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL OONNECTER Milton 0. Flschel, Du 3015, Pa.

Application May 1'1, 193'], Serial No. 143,181

3 Claims. (Cl. 173-324) This invention relates to an improved swivel shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, connecter for electric cords used on various and particularly to Fig. l, the reference character electrical appliances suchastoasters, electric sad- L represents a table lamp, characterized by a irons, lamps and similar appliances, where the base B rigidly supporting a standard S having cord is apt to get twisted or entangled, and the a lower horizontal portion orarm l0, two similar purpose of the connecter is to permit the appliconverging arms II, II and an upper smaller ance to be freely moved continuously in a circle arm l2 on which the novel connecter generallyin either direction without twisting or entangling designated as C is mounted. The lamp L emthe wires connecting same to a source of current. bodies a shade S provided with an electric bulb 1 Another purpose of the invention is to consocket I5. The dotted lines in Fig. l of the drawstruct a connecter of the type indicated which ings illustrate the position the shade S and socket may be readily assembled and which is composed may assume, that is, it may be swung in a of a relatively small number of simple parts or circle either backwards or forwards on the axis elements. of the rod or arm 12. An electrical current con- 5 The connecter constituting the instant invenducting cord I 6 passes through the base B, the 15 tion is particularly adaptable for floor, table or right hand portion of the lower horizontal arm other styles of lamps to enable the light from the i0, through the converging arm II, the right hand lamp to be directed in any direction within a portion of the upper arm I2 to theconnecter 0 complete circle, with the socket and bulb of the to which it is secured in a manner to be shortly 2 lamp turnable in either direction in the plane of described. said circle. It will be understood, however, that The connecter C proper shown in Figs. 2, 3 and the improved connecter can iind utility for other 4 of the drawings embodies a casing or housing purposes as indicated above. H formed of two dissimilar parts or halves. One

The above and other aims and purposes will be of the halves is designated as It, a portion of the apparent from the detailed description hereinother half shown in section at IT being secured to after appearing when taken in conjunction with the half l6 by screws l8 and 19 or the like. It the appended drawings forming a part thereof will be understood thatthis construction provides and showing preferred embodiments of the ina fully enclosed housing for the various elements vention and in which:- of the connecter C. The housing half I6 is char- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a lamp with acterized by a base wall 20 and two similar side 30 the invention applied thereto, and showing in walls 20, 20 and horizontal wall portions 2|, 2|", dotted lines the position an electric socket, bulb the latter being provided with threaded apertures and shade may assume when swung about the 22, 22 for receiving the screws or thelike I8 axis of the novel connecter. and I9.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the connecter A plate 23 of insulating material is positioned 35 in assembled operative condition with respect internally of the housing half 16 flush with the to an electric lamp socket, but with a portion base wall 20 being secured thereto by means of of the connecter housing removed. screws 24. The base wall 20 has a large circular Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly opening 25 through which the insulating plate 22 in section of the connecter shown in Fig. 2. is exposed, said plate being provided with a pair 40 Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the of apertures 5, 6. Secured to said base wall connecter of Fig. 2, showing the various elements 20' externally thereof is a metal ring 21 having constituting same and prior to the assembly of its circular rim portion 28 extending through and said elements into operative position. bent back to engage the internaledges of the base Fig. 51s a view similar to Fig. 1 of another plate r wa l 0* d finin th op ning 25 thereof, 45 type of lamp embodying a modified form of the S rim p o 2 b g bent back as at 29 to invention. be clamped between the insulating plate and base Fig. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly wall to firmly mount the ring 21 on said base wall. in section of the modified form of the invention. The main portion 30 of the conventional lamp Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on lines 1-1 of socket l5 fits into the ring 21, being frictionally 5 Fig, 6, and and detachably held. therein by means of co- Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view, similar operating notches or by a set screw or in any to Fig. 4, but of the modification shown in Figs. 5 other convenient manner. to 7 inclusive. By referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the Referring first to the form of the invention elements of the connecterC comprise two similar 55 ternally threaded at one end thereof, as at 32, 32 and each having an aperture 33, 33 at its opposite end. Each of side walls 28, 28" of the housing H is provided with an opening 34 or 34' and positioned internally of the casing half I6 is a hollow sleeve 35 of insulating material, said sleeve having apertures 36 and 31 adjacent its outer edges and an intermediate aperture 38*. A pair of spaced metallic conductor rings 31 and 38 frictionally embrace and are securely fixed to the external surface of the hollow insulating sleeve 35, the ring 31 having a lateral projection 39 provided with a set screw forming a terminal 48 and the ring 38 having a similar integral projection 4| provided with a set screw 42.

In assembling the swivel connecter C the tubes 3| and 3| and the insulating hollow sleeve 35, which is of a length approximately equal to the distance between the internal surfaces of the housing walls 20 and 20 is inserted within the casing half I 6, washers 43 and 44 serving to space the sleeve from said walls. The sleeve 35 is placed in alignment with the apertures 34 and 34 through which are now inserted the metallic tubes 3| and 3|, said tubes being rigidly secured to opposite ends, respectively, of the insulating sleeve 35 by means of set screws 43 44 screwed into the respective threaded apertures 33, 36, and 33, 31.

The socket 30 is provided with a pair of contact strips or plug-in blades 58 and 5| which pass through apertures 26 and 26*- in the fiber or insulating plate 23 to contact and ride on rings 31 and 38, respectively. The lead or current conducting wire l6 is passed through the metallic tube 3| then through hollow insulating sleeve 35, the conductor I6 of said lead wire being secured to terminal and conductor |6 to terminal 42.

In mounting the device on arm |2 of the lamp L, Fig. 1, the tube 3| is rigidly secured to the right hand portion of arm |2 by means of a lock nut or the like 52, and the sleeve 3| to the left hand portion of the arm |2 by a similar lock nut 53. It should be mentioned that the diameter of the openings 34 and 34 in side walls 20 and 2|] is so chosen that the tubes 3| and 3| form a firm frictional fit when inserted therethrough.

The operation of the device will now be apparent. When it is desired to adjust the shade S carried by the socket I5, this may be accomplished by turning said shade through an entire circle or an arc thereof in either direction. Such an operation will rotate the entire housing H, this causing the plug-in blades and 5| to ride on the surface of rings 31 and 38 to maintain electrical contact therewith. As the tubes 3| and 3| are rigidly fixed to arm I2 and as insulating sleeve 35 is fixed to said tubes, it will be apparent that conductor cord l6 will not be twisted and that the lamp shade S and its lamp socket may be freely rotated without danger of twisting the cord and its lead-in wires l6 and I6.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive of the drawings, showing a modified form of the invention, the lamp L' is illustrated as comprising a shade S, a vertical hollow standard B, a pair of diverging arms 6| and 6| connected to the standard at 6| 0 and a rotatable horizontal arm 62. Lead wire 63 passes through standard B, arm 6|, connecter C, the right hand portion of rotatable arm 62 to shade S and its associated electric bulb and socket (not shown). The reference character D designates a dummy member hollow metallic tubes 3|, 3|, each tube being exsimilar in design to connecter C for the purpose of maintaining the symmetrical appearance of the lamp, said dummy connecter D merely serving as a bearing for the rotatable horizontal arm 62.

The conductor C embodies a housing H formed of two dissimilar halves 66 and 61, the latter secured to the former by screws 68 and 69, fitting in threaded apertures 12, 12 in wall portions 1| and 1| of casing 66. The casing half 66 is provided with a base wall 18 and side walls 15 and 16, said side walls having apertures 18 and 19.

The base wall 10 is provided with an opening 80 having threaded therein an externally threaded metallic sleeve 8|, lock washer or sleeve elements 82 and 83 serving to non-rotatably secure the sleeve 8| to said base wall. Supported on the latter by means of insulating spacer members 84 and 85 and belts and nuts 86 and 81, is 'an insulating strip 89. The insulation strip 89 has fastened thereto by bolts and nuts 98 and 9| a pair of spaced contact strips 92 and 93 carrying terminals 94 and 95 to which the leads of conductor wire 63 are secured. By referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that an insulating sleeve 35 having rings 31, 31 and sleeves 3| and 3| are assembled within the casing half 16 in a manner described in the form of the invention of. Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The metallic tube 3|, however, in the modified form of the invention is devoid of the threaded end 32 fora purpose to be shortly mentioned. When assembled the contact-strips 92 and 93 ride on rings 31 and 31, respectively.

In operation of the device of Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, the casing H by means of threaded sleeve 8| is rigidly and non-rotatably secured to the arm 6|, a lock-nut or the like I00 being used for this purpose. The horizontal arm 62 is locked to the threaded end 32 of tube 3| by means of a lock-nut or the like |0|. Upon rotation of. the shade S the arm 62 will rotate, which in turn will rotate tube 3|, insulating sleeve 35 and tube 3|, the latter functioning as a pintle or rotatable bearing, the contact strips 92, 93 being always in electrical contact with rings 31 and 38, as will be understood. As previously indicated, the dummy connection D merely functions as a bearing for the left-hand portion of arm 62.

From the above description, it will be appreciated that there has been provided a novel connecter well adapted for its intended function. Furthermore, while the novel electrical connecter has been described in detail, yet it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein which fall within the spirit of the invention and it is intended to cover all such and be limited in this respect only as may be necessary by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus set forth the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical connecter comprising a casing including a base wall provided with a pair of spaced apertures, a bulb socket having a pair of blades, said blades projecting through said apertures, said socket carried by said base wall, an insulated member supported within said casing, said insulated member having a pair of spaced rings carried thereby, said rings contacting said blades, means projecting within and extending beyond said casing secured to said insulated member, said means non-rotatably holding said insulated member within said casing, said casing being movable relatively to said insulated member.

2. An electrical connecter comprising a casing including a pair of spaced apertured walls and an apertured base wall connecting same, a hollow tube extending through each of. said apertures in said spaced walls, an insulated sleeve within said casing connected to said tubes, a pair of rings carried by said sleeve, a pair of socket plug-in blades extending through the apertures in said base wall and contacting said rings, said tubes having means to rigidly connect same to a lamp support, said casing being rotatable on said tubes as an axis.

3. An electrical connecter comprising a casing including a pair oi. spaced apertured walls and an apertured base wall connecting same, an insulating plate having a pair of openings secured to said base wall, a lamp socket mounted on said casing having a pair of plug-in blades extending through the openings in said insulating plate, metallic tubes projecting through the apertures in said spaced Walls, an insulating sleeve within said casing connecting said tubes, said sleeve having a pair of conductor rings secured thereto with the rings in contact with said blades, said tubes having threaded outer ends for non-rotatable connection to a support, said casing being rotatable about said tubes as an axis.

MILTON 0. FISCHEL. 

